Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday virtually inaugurated the redevelopment of Tirunelveli Junction Railway Station, taken up with an outlay of ₹270 crore under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
The work envisages construction of a new terminal building on the western side and a multi-level parking lot. Bus bays will be built on the eastern and western side of the railway junction and a skywalk would be constructed to connect them.
A secondary terminal with a 15-metre approach road will be opened on the western side of the premises. This will ease traffic congestion. Commercial land would be developed on both sides of the station with parking facilities.
After demolishing the old footbridge on the southern and northern sides, concourse and a skywalk would be constructed. The abandoned goods shed on the western side would be demolished to make way for the construction of a quarters at Jawahar Nagar Colony. The old quarters would be demolished after relocating the families occupying them.
The parcel office and the Rail Mail Service facilities will be shifted temporarily to the eastern side of the upcoming multi-level parking lot as the building housing them would be demolished and rebuilt. Upgrade of platforms and the utility space would be taken up as part of the redevelopment plan.
“After taking into consideration the projected growth of Tirunelveli city in the next 40 years and the volume of traffic, the redevelopment of Tirunelveli Junction Railway Station is being taken up,” said Nandagopal, Deputy Chief Engineer (Construction) of Madurai Railway Division.
Tiruchendur, Thoothukudi, and Kovilpatti railway stations would get a makeover under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, he said.